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The Don’t-Miss List for the

Rest of the World

Character Breakfasts (if you have kids under 9)

Cirque du Soleil

DisneyQuest (if you have kids over 10)

Downtown Disney

Downtown Disney Marketplace

The Marketplace section of Downtown Disney, not surprisingly, is full of shops. A good place to start is the World of Disney, the largest Disney store on Earth, and the best place to find that perfect souvenir. Little girls will freak out at the sight of the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique (a.k.a. “the Princess Room”), where they can try on princess costumes, then have their hair, makeup, and nails done. Packages range from $50 for hairstyling and makeup to $190 for a complete photo portfolio and costume you can keep. Kids must be 3 and older to participate, and you can make appointments 180 days in advance by calling 407/939–7895 (407/WDW–STYLE).

Warning: Once you go princess, it’s hard to go back. “We were arriving in Orlando in the afternoon,” wrote a mother from New York, “and as you suggested we went to Downtown Disney, so we wouldn’t burn a day on our theme-park tickets. We thought it would be cute to have our 5-year-old daughter Kate outfitted at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique to kick off her Disney vacation, but as it turns out, she was so enchanted with her new look that she refused to take down her hairdo, change clothes, or wash her face for the next seven days. In pictures we took near the end of vacation, Kate looks like Belle on crack.”

Helpful Hint

If you’re trying to decide which boutique is best for your little princess, consider that the Magic Kingdom location—while undeniably more glamorous—requires theme-park admission. To maximize your expensive tickets, it makes more sense to spend your day in the Magic Kingdom visiting attractions, not hanging out in a hair salon. Visit the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Downtown Disney on your day off, the first evening you arrive, or any other time when you’re not burning a day on your ticket.

Another must-see is Once Upon a Toy, the ultimate shop for Disney-theme toys. Kids also enjoy Team Mickey’s Athletic Club, which sells sporting equipment and clothes, and the Days of Christmas. The LEGO Store is just amazing, with enormous LEGO sea serpents, spaceships, and life-size people scattered around the lagoon, as well as a play area where kids can build their own models. Of course, without a budget, this can get out of control very fast. “I do have to take issue with your description of Downtown Disney as ‘free,’ ” wrote one mother from Virginia. “We ended up spending more there than we did in any of the theme parks!”

If money is no object, visit the Art of Disney, where you can find limited-edition cels and other collectibles. Scrapbook hobbyists will enjoy Disney’s Wonderful World of Memories next door, which offers Disney scrapbook supplies.

The Rainforest Café is great fun because birds and fish (real) and rhinos and giraffes (fake) surround your table while you eat. Check out the bar stools with their flamingo and zebra legs. T-Rex with its dinosaur theme (duh) is also oriented towards families. You’re greeted by a life-size T-Rex as you enter and walk through a prehistoric environment with waterfalls, geysers, and a fossil dig site.

Hidden Mickey

Look closely at the fountains near the entrance to the Downtown Disney Marketplace. Does the shape look familiar?

The part of Downtown Disney known as Pleasure Island is in transition; this area will reopen in stages. Right now it looks like a ghost town but some shops and restaurants—including the popular Irish pub Raglan Road and Paradiso 37—are currently open and worth the walk. Also, located between Pleasure Island and the West Side is a tethered hot-air balloon known as Characters In Flight as a tribute to Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, and some of Disney’s other lofty stars. The balloon gently lifts 400 feet into the air for a great view of the surrounding area. Prices are $18 adult, $12 child.

Insider’s Secret

A waterfront district named Hyperion Wharf